James Mart

How many roads must a man walk down

Before you can call him a man?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind, The answer is blowin' in the wind.  -Bob Dylan

Following an extended battle with Alzheimer’s disease, James Deering Mart, 80, passed peacefully on December 14, 2019 in Davis, CA.  Jim was a long-time resident of Davis & Sacramento where he practiced law for 40+ years.    He will be greatly missed by his wife of 57 years, Dyan; his two favorite daughters, Jen (and Rob) Van Tuyle & Deb (and Lee) Friedman, and four grandsons:  Tim & Jack Van Tuyle and Anthony & Xander Friedman.  Stacy Donaldson was his kind and dedicated caregiver and has become a member of our family.

Jim was born and raised in Oakland, CA.  He graduated from San Jose State University in 1961, and attended Hastings Law School, graduating in 1965 as valedictorian of his class.  Jim practiced Law in San Francisco until 1972, and in Sacramento from 1972 until his retirement in 2005.  He was a brilliant litigator, passionate about the fair and impartial application of the law; he cared holistically for his clients.  In the years before his retirement, he also served as a JAMS mediator where he dedicated himself to conflict resolution and finding the best possible outcomes for the involved parties.

Until the disease stole his intelligence and quick (and sometimes sarcastic) wit, Jim lived a full and active life.  He and Dyan raised their daughters to be strong and confident.  While his girls were young, he was an avid fan of ballet and ice skating.  He and Dyan traveled extensively, played golf and skied, enjoyed great wines.  He followed the Forty Niners, Giants and Kings as a most ardent fan.  Jim never abandoned his “hippie” musical tastes, the house was always filled with music from Neal Young, Bob Dylan, Crosby Stills & Nash, Waylon & Willy, the Eagles, & Jimmy Buffett.

His greatest legacy is the “grandpa-cation”.  He took each of his grandsons on a personalized adventure to visit llamas and the Skunk Train (with Xander), attend the MLS All-Star game in Salt Lake City (with Jack), take in a St. Louis Cardinals game (with Anthony) and a golf trip to Carmel (with Tim).

Dyan, Jen and Deb invite you to a memorial celebration to honor Jim on January 11, 2020 from 2-4 pm at El Macero Country Club.  In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Association at https://www.alz.org/ would be greatly appreciated.